In some computing systems (e.g., server, PC (personal computer)), a main processor (e.g., CPU (central processing unit)) was or acted as the only intelligent component in the computing system. These types of systems therefore relied on the main processor to initialize (e.g., boot) the video controller and/or other elements (e.g., cache, memory, bus). This initialization was required before any video could be displayed on a display device (e.g., monitor) associated with the system. However, problems may have arisen during the initialization of the video controller or other components. Without an initialized and functioning video controller the user may have been left in the dark about the problem(s) and/or the state of the system.
Additionally, with a video controller that depended on a host system for resources (e.g., power, memory, operating system support, processor cycles) an error, fault, delay, interruption, or so on associated with those resources could impact the video controller. Once again this could leave a user without information concerning system status, system health, resources, and so on.
In some computing systems, in addition to video output depending on and/or otherwise being entwined with system resources, the video output may have been tasked with reporting errors associated with the resources. However, errors associated with these interdependent resources may have negatively impacted the ability of the video output to report the errors. Thus, errors like processor errors, video memory errors, bus errors, and/or other “crash-worthy” events may have gone unreported.
To respond to these issues, some systems may have added components (e.g., LED (light emitting diode), LCD (liquid crystal display), speaker) in an attempt to be able to communicate some form of information when the video controller could not due to its dependence on the host system and/or its resources. However, these additional components may have provided minimal and/or easily misunderstood information, may have been located in positions that were not easily accessed, may have provided cryptic messages, may have added cost to a system, and so on.